


Sit Next to Me

by fulltimedoodler



Category: bts, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: BOI this isfluff, Diner! AU, M/M, Multi, puns, sorry if u get hungry reading this lmao, the language is very casual lmao, theyre soft and i love them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 16:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13344639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fulltimedoodler/pseuds/fulltimedoodler
Summary: Taehyung is a part time waiter at a forgotten diner, and jungkook is an art student who needs to find a place to paint.





	Sit Next to Me

Ah, rush hour. 

 

Believe it or not, even small, dimly lit diners with blinking neon signs have rush hours. It’s that time of the day when it seems that everyone ( _miraculously_ ) all at once craves greasy burgers and shakes. 

 

Except for PD’s diner, where rush hour happened to occur only on Wednesday evenings. Taehyung doesn't think he can ever understand the science behind it. Why Wednesdays specifically? It was a pretty ordinary weekday in his opinion, so why was the diner so packed at 5pm??

 

“TWO FRIES AND A STRAWBERRY SHAKE FOR TABLE FIVE!” Taehyung yells as he clips the note next to the six others waiting to be finished. It sure was a busy day, and a noisy one at that. He couldn't clearly hear the music playing from the jukebox, but he could barely make out the lyrics over the noise. “ _I want to live my life again! I want to do it again!_ ” another Foster the People song. Not that he would complain, he loved their songs. 

 

He tries to stay relaxed during such chaotic times, handling orders and multiple customers with experienced ease. 

 

Their diner was small, though it seemed to expand during rush hours. Managing through said hours was really stressful at first, but after a few weeks of panic and confusion, Taehyung got the hang of it. 

 

Due to the size of their business, the place also didn’t have lots of employees. 

 

They had two cooks who switched shifts and three waiters: two part timers and one full timer. Which means a lot of the workload was shared between them. 

 

Taehyung was a part timer along with the other girl who seemed to be bored of every second of it. He only knew her name through their nametags, and they barely spoke to each other, their longest shared conversations going along the line of “have you taken their order yet?’ and “there’s an accident at table three.”

 

And if you’re wondering, _no_ , Taehyung wasn’t working because of nonexistent free time on his hands. 

 

He had recently gotten into his first year of community college, studying some sort of unclear general program he wasn’t sure was going to get him anywhere.

It didn’t really bother him, though. 

 

All he needed was time, and his program provided him with that. 

 

Well, leftover time to be precise. Even though it was only community college, the workload was _intense_ , and he barely managed to balance his grades with his work. 

 

When Taehyung thinks about it, he realizes that things really don’t like working for him. This isn’t at all what he wanted, or expected. 

 

Taehyung had his entire life planned ahead of him in high school. 

 

Graduate high school, apply to a proper art school somewhere out there, get a semi scholarship, get his degree in fashion design, and start creating for the world.

 

But Taehyung is an unlucky guy, and life likes to play tricks on him. 

 

So when he graduates with perfect scores and a burning passion, his lack of financial support holds him back from applying to general universities, much less to abroad art schools known for their sky high fees. 

 

You see, if it were anyone else, they would have probably thrown away all their hopes and dreams, complaining about how dreams are just that: dreams. 

 

But it isn’t anyone else, it’s Taehyung we’re talking about.

 

So after a couple hours of ugly sobbing on his best friend Jimin’s shoulder ( _he cried so hard jimin had to change his shirt bc “ur turning me into the Dead Sea dude”_ ), Taehyung managed to get himself together and start a Plan B. 

 

Plan B wasn’t really a new plan though, it was more like a detour from his initial plan.

 

That detour consisted of Taehyung enrolling in his local community college, using his time to save up money, and practice some more. Because hey, a little more pieces in a portfolio never killed anybody. Heck it got them accepted. 

 

So here he was, carrying two cookie milkshakes to the people that would indirectly help him achieve his dreams.

 

A crowd of customers come and go, until rush hour is over, and everyone takes a breath of relief and accomplishment. The place is now empty except for a quiet group of friends, finishing up their food.

 

Taehyung takes this opportunity to settle down on the workers side of the counter and lets his mind wander while gazing around the diner.

 

Some might argue that this diner is actually a pretty nice place. It’s strongly red themed; red booths, red walls, red neon signs, dim red lights. Old records and albums covered up the walls along with retro diner advertisements. 

 

In the right corner of the diner, a small rectangular old school TV was placed on a high shelf, usually turned on to cheesy reality shows. 

 

From the main counter, Taehyung had a great view of the wide window covering up almost the entire front of the diner. 

 

There wasn't much of a view across the window, though. Just an empty parking lot, illuminated by the blinking diner’s facade and a single street light. 

 

He glances at the clock on his left, right next to the door. 7pm. Two more hours till his shift ends. 

 

If anyone saw him they’d think that he hates his job, but taehyung doesn’t actually hate it. He doesn’t necessarily like it either, but he cant deny the happiness it brings him sometimes. 

 

It gives him this warm feeling sometimes, seeing the smile on a little kids face when they take their first slurp of a milkshake twice their size. Or the genuine delight on a regular customer when tae remembers their usual orders. 

 

And anyways, his job got him money in his bank account and food in his stomach, so who was he to complain?

 

Lost in thought, Taehyung didn't really pay attention to the sound of the entrance bells chiming, announcing the arrival of yet another customer. He turns his head for a glance at them. 

 

The first thing Taehyung notices is his outfit. 

 

He wasn’t particularly dressed strangely, but Tae thought about how he liked the splash of colorful badges on his jean jacket. His face was hidden under the shadow of his hoodie cap, and he had a backpack lazily slung over his shoulder. 

 

_He looks like he’s straight out of a movie, head hidden behind a hoodie cap and walking into a diner at night,_ Taehyung thought. _Mysterious_. 

 

Getting up and straightening his waiter apron, he readies his little order notebook and walks over to the table where his new customer had gotten himself seated at. 

 

The guy looks up at him and smiles, “Hello.” Okay, Taehyung takes back what he said. The boy didn’t actually look mysterious, now that his hoodie cap was removed and his face was shown crystal clear. 

 

He had wide brown doe eyes, a cute little round button nose, and a smile that looked so genuine it made his eyes smile, too. His hair was a flop of messy brown strands falling on his face, giving him this adorable look. It looked so smooth and soft, Taehyung wondered for a split second what it would feel like to smooth his hair above this face. 

 

He seemed to be the same age as taehyung, maybe a little younger? 

 

“Hi, welcome to PD’s diner, as the neon sign said. Sorry if you were expecting it to be a secret transportation machine.” Taehyung grins, and the guy lets out a short laugh at his introduction.

 

“Our menu is written on the table flyers on the stand,” Tae points out at the far edge of the table next to the window. “I’m Taehyung, your waiter today. Are you ready to order or do u need more time?” He asks, straightening his name tag and putting his best smile out there. 

 

“Oh um,” the boy looks down at the paper then up at Tae again. “What’s your favorite thing to get?” 

 

Taken aback by the unusual question, Taehyung taps his finger on his notepad and hums in thought. “Probably the milkshakes,” he decides. “The strawberry milkshake is especially good, it’s kind of our specialty.” 

 

“One strawberry milkshake it is, then,” the customer replies with a smile. 

 

“Is that all?” Taehyung asks. 

 

“Yeah, thats all. Thank you,” the guy replies, already reaching out for his backpack. 

 

“No worries,” Taehyung replies, flashing him yet another smile before turning around and going to inform the kitchen of their new order. Why the hell was he smiling so much? _Just stop thinking about it_ , he mentally scolded himself. 

 

Sitting back at his counter position, Taehyung watches the guy. 

 

It isn’t like he hasn’t had any good looking customers before, but this time it was different. This time, the _customer_ is different. 

 

The boy was looking around at the diner with such fascination that if it were an anime, his eyes would be sparkling. He studied every album and corner of the diner, leaning his head on one hand, while the other hand holds what seems like a black notebook.

 

Taehyung has never seen a customer so interested in their diner like that, and wonders what the boy is seeing that has him so interested. 

 

He wishes he could see through his eyes, get a glimpse of the beauty he sees in such place. 

 

In reality, Jungkook’s fascination wasn't only directed at the diner. 

 

The diner was really pretty in his eyes, it’s red hues and chill beats gave a sense of belonging in a timeless space, where it could be both 2018 and 1993 and you wouldn’t know the difference. This place was perfect in the sense that no one would think that it is. 

 

But as mentioned, that wasn’t the _only_ thing that got his attention. There was another effect added to the place, that convinced Jungkook that randomly coming to this diner wasn’t at all a bad idea. 

 

That effect came in the form of a person. A rather beautiful person actually. 

 

Jungkook had seen him as he went in, and had to take a short breath because _damn the guy was actually really good looking_. He was sitting at the counter, wearing a burgundy short sleeved dress shirt and a turtleneck underneath. His hair was slightly messy, a dark fringe almost reaching his eyes. 

 

_Well that’s a good start_ , he thought. 

 

After the waiter came up to him, Jungkook realized that he really was even more handsome under the light, his left earring shining bright. 

 

He had smooth tanned skin and two moles on his face, one on his left cheekbone and one at the bottom of his nose. His eyes were surrounded by dark, thick eyelashes, making his eyes seem droopy. He had the most beautiful eyes Jungkook had ever seen, and he felt the urge to sit him down and have him model for him.

 

Jungkook glances at his name tag. _Taehyung_. 

 

_Yes_ , he thinks to himself. _This a really good start._

 

As Taehyung gives his introduction about the diner, Jungkook can't help but laugh at the sight of the waiter dissing his own diner. _What a chill guy._

 

After Taehyung takes his order and leaves the booth to go to the main counter, Jungkook gets to work and starts observing the diner. 

 

It’s oddly very beautiful. Maybe it has to do with the soft music playing, or the fact that the place literally glowed in the red lighting, but Jungkook found himself drawn to this place. 

 

He will also be drawing it, coincidentally. 

 

All thanks to his college application requirements. 

 

After Jungkook started the second term of his senior year at high school, he began seriously working on his art school portfolio applications. He had multiple schools in mind, but there was one school with the best game designing program, but the most portfolio requirements. And that was his goal. 

 

It always has been, actually. 

 

He remembers going to career day at school when he was child, and being so surprised at the amount of kids who were dressed up as doctors or vets or engineers. Practically everyone was wearing either some kind of doctors’ coat and fake stethoscopes, or an engineering cap with blueprints in their hands. 

 

Jungkook, on the other hand, was wearing a green _Crash_ _Bandicoot_ shirt. 

 

When it was time for everyone to present their dream careers, and Jungkook’s turn came, everyone was quite confused. 

 

“Jungkook, what are you wearing? Why didn’t you dress up for a career?” The teacher had asked. 

 

“I _am_ dressed up for my career,” the little boy replied with confidence. “I’m wearing a crash bandicoot shirt because it is one of my favorite video games, and I want to be a video game maker when I grow up!” He was so proud of himself that no kid dared to make any comments. 

 

No one really bothered him about it as a kid, insisting that it was merely a childish dream, and that he’ll grow out of it soon enough. But when he reached the age of 17 with no change of his previous plans, things became a little bit tougher. 

 

People told him to grow up, think realistically, get a grip on reality. His conversations with teachers and family members revolved around them lecturing him, again and again, about changing his major. “It isn’t a stable job, if it even _is_ a job in the first place,” they’d say. As if video game designers were supernatural beings who weren’t human and all the schools that taught the program were located in fairytale land. 

 

Jungkook does agree that his family were also probably sick of him using his gaming major as excuse for playing too much Overwatch. “It’s for scientific purposes,” he’d say, and his mom would just roll her eyes and close the door behind her as she left. 

 

Which brings us to the current jungkook, looking for the perfect place to paint and add to his collection of artworks being submitted to his portfolio application. 

 

Jungkook reaches out for his bag and he looks around in it for a while, then takes out a black sketchbook and a pencil case filled with his favorite art materials: pencils. So many different shades and edges and colors of them, Jungkook couldn’t resist buying so many of them. Artist struggles, right? 

 

Opening up his sketchbook to the recently drawn in page, he starts moving his hand in motions according to his eyes see. He makes a couple rough sketches on the angle and perspective he’d like to paint from, and begins cleaning up the drawings so they actually mean something rather than just weird looking chicken scribbles. 

 

As Taehyung walks to Jungkook’s booth with food tray in hand, he notices the black notebook in Jungkook’s hands. As he gets closer and is allowed a better view at the notebook, he realizes it’s a sketchbook, and the boy is drawing. 

 

“ _Alright_ , here you go.” Taehyung says, setting the tall glass of pink milkshake on the table, a good distance from the sketchbook. “One strawberry milkshake up!” 

 

After a stuttered thank you from Jungkook and the sound of his sketchbook snapping shut, taehyung finds the courage to speak up again. 

 

“So, you’re an artist?” Taehyung asks, pointing at the black notebook now resting on the table. 

 

“Oh- my sketchbook? Yeah you could say that I guess. It’s for a school assignment, I gotta make a piece about interior spaces.” He pauses, and Taehyung nods. “From everywhere I’ve visited, so far this diner wins.” Jungkook smiles, enjoying the look of confusion on taehyung’s face. 

 

“I- what? This diner wins interior-design wise???” Taehyung gestures around him, mouth gaping. “Boy, where the heck did u go before this? I’m curious to know what are the locations that lost to PD’s Diner.” 

 

Jungkook laughs at Taehyung’s crossed arms and _dammit_ it’s one of those contagious laughs, so Taehyung ends up chuckling too. 

 

“A couple places, but trust me, this diner wins in my eyes. It just has this special feeling that’s drawing me to it. Pun not intended.” Jungkook answers. 

 

_And the waiter serving me is beautiful so you bet I’m coming back again_ , he thinks. 

 

“Of course, I'm sure that pun wasn't intended.” Taehyung wiggles his eyebrows. “Well, as an employee here I can say I feel a bit prouder of our designs,” I’ll leave you to do what you have to do then. Enjoy!” Taehyung says with a smile on his face. 

 

Jungkook lets out a little laugh. “Thank you,” He replies, and there’s an odd tightness in chest when Taehyung turns back and leaves his table. 

 

Taehyung goes back to his counter, taking out his cleaning equipment to get ready for closing time. He sneaks some glances at the boy, still impressed by the vibe he gives out. 

 

He can’t see that well from where he’s standing, but he can make out bits and pieces from his sketches, and they’re really well drawn. Damn the boy has really got some skills. 

 

Lightheaded with odd happiness, Taehyung doesn't even notice the clock ticking, time passing by.

 

Finishing up his sketches and milkshake, Jungkook pays for his meal and grabs his backpack, realizing how late the time is and shoving all his belongings back in place. 

 

He gets up from his booth and starts walking to the door when he slows down halfway, turning around and giving Taehyung at the counter small wave. 

 

“Have a good night!” He says over the music, and Taehyung looks up from cleaning the tabletop to wave back. 

 

“You too!” Taehyung replies, taking in as much as he can of that cute little bunny smile before Jungkook turns back around and walks out of the diner. 

 

_What an odd boy_ , Taehyung thinks. 

**Author's Note:**

> WOW U MADE IT THROUGH! gimme som comments and lemme know what you think, my dudes! this time the puns were on a low level but next ch will probably have lots of goofin 
> 
> you can see the shitty edit i made for it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5txsk8JoYU
> 
> come scream at me on tumblr (fulltimedoodler) or instagram where im most active (taffytams)
> 
> HAVE A GREAT DAY/ NIGHT LOVELIES


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